The present invention relates to a device for supplying detergent and fabric conditioner into the washing basin of a washing machine and, more particularly, to a device adapted to supply the detergent together with washing water into the washing basin in the washing step, and the fabric conditioner together with rinsing water in the rinsing step.
Such washing machines for washing clothes and the like have been known as adapted to conduct a series of works such as preliminary washing, washing, rinsing and dehydration. Automatic washing machines capable of automatically performing above stated works sequentially, through automatically controlling the supply and discharge of water into and out of the washing tank, has been known also.
A typical automatic washing machine is a drum type machine having a drum which is adapted to be rotated to impart a stirring action to the clothes and the like received therein. More specifically, this drum type washing machine has a rotary shaft rotatably disposed in the washing basin to extend substantially horizontally. A drum having a number of apertures in its wall is carried by this rotary shaft so as to be rotated at a speed of 40 to 60 r.p.m.
As the drum is rotated, th clothes or the like in the drum are lifted by a plurality of projections provided on the inner peripheral surface of the drum, and are dropped as they are lifted above the axis line of the rotary shaft, so that the clothes or the like are stirred and washed.
In this type of automatic washing machine, the washing process is so determined as to include two or more steps of washing with a detergent, so that the contamination may be completely removed even when the contamination is heavy. More specifically, the washing process usually includes the steps of (1) preliminary washing, (2) drainage, (3) water supply, (4) washing, (5) drainage, (6) water supply, (7) rinsing, (8) drainage and (9) dehydration. In some cases, the steps from the rinsing (7) to the dehydration (9) are repeated twice or more.
In the automatic washing machine adapted to perform the above stated steps sequentially, it is necessary to automatically supply a detergent into the washing basin, before the washing which is conducted subsequently to the preliminary washing. It is also necessary to automatically supply, in the final rinsing step, a fabric conditioner capable of softening the clothes and preventing electrostatic charging.
Devices adapted for automatically supplying the detergent and fabric conditioner have been proposed already and are attached in most cases to the drum type automatic washing machine. A typical device of this kind is provided with a first solenoid valve for supplying water to the washing tank in advance to the first preliminary washing step, a second solenoid valve adapted to release the detergent stored in the detergent supplying device into the washing basin together with water, and a third solenoid valve adapted to release a fabric conditioner which is stored in the device separately from the detergent into the washing basin in the final rinsing step. These solenoid valves are controlled independently or simultaneously to effect the supply of detergent, fabric conditioner and the water. Therefore, for mounting the device for supplying the detergent and fabric conditioner on the washing machine, it is necessary to install three solenoid valves, requiring a considerably large space for accommodating these solenoid valves. Also, a complicated control circuit is required for controlling the solenoid valves independently.
Since the detergent and fabric conditioner supplying device is installed in a limited space between the washing basin and a frame which constitutes the outer housing of the washing machine, it is necessary to reduce as much as possible the size of portions of the device other than the portions for storing the detergent and the fabric conditioner. In addition, since the washing machine handles water such as washing water, the electric system such as the water supply solenoid valve and associated control circuits must have a construction simplified as much as possible so as to avoid troubles attributable to the use of water.